Cellular radio networks typically require a backhaul network connection from the base station to a telecommunications network over which user data and control information is transferred. Often, the connection between the base station and the telecommunications network is a wired connection. To ensure cost effectiveness, there is a high degree of integration and native support of the interface with the backhaul network device in the base station equipment. However, in many cases, due to availability, a wired connection is not used and a wireless microwave connection between the base station and the telecommunications network is used.
In these scenarios, the microwave backhaul link is provided by a stand alone product collocated with the cellular base station. With the planned increased density of long term evolution (LTE) deployments with small coverage area cells, there will become a significant need for increased microwave backhaul usage. Such arrangements are costly and inefficient from monitoring, space and power consumption perspectives.
Referring now to the drawing figures, in which like reference designators denote like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a diagram of a typical current configuration of a cellular base station 10 connected to microwave backhaul equipment 12 via a network connection 14. The microwave backhaul equipment 12 communicates with a telecommunications network (not shown) wirelessly via an antenna 16. Although not shown in FIG. 1, it is understood that complimentary microwave backhaul equipment is coupled to the telecommunications network to communicate with the antenna 16 to thereby provide a wireless microwave communication link from cellular base station 10 to the telecommunication network. The cellular base station communicates with mobile user equipment wirelessly via an antenna 18. In FIG. 1, while none of the functions of the microwave backhaul equipment and the cellular base station equipment are integrated, the microwave backhaul equipment and the cellular base station equipment are at a common location.
The presence of the microwave backhaul equipment at the cellular base station site creates issues of footprint and volume, power requirements, including backup facilities, cooling requirements, costs and operation and management issues. Remote radios reduce the amount of cellular base station equipment that remains indoors. This means that less space is needed for the indoor equipment. However, a lower limit on such space is imposed by the need for space occupied by the microwave backhaul equipment. Thus, configurations for which the cellular base station equipment and the microwave backhaul equipment are not integrated is becoming increasingly unattractive.
Therefore, there is a need for an arrangement that achieves a high level of integration between the cellular radio equipment with the microwave backhaul radio equipment.